May 2015

Music composer and producer J. M. Quintana Cámara has received a nomination for the renowned Hollywood Music In Media Awards® (HMMA) for his composition "The Essence of Life” in the category "Contemporary Classical / Instrumental". The ceremony of the eighth edition of the HMMA awards will take place on Wednesday 11 November 2015 in the famous "Henry Fonda Theatre" in Hollywood, California, and will be broadcasted to a lot of countries, with live performances, awards presentation and VIP reception.

HMMA awards are considered as one of the most renowned awards in the world. They were born in 2008 with the intention to recognize and honor the music production of visual mediums (film, TV, movie trailers, video games, commercials, etc), the talented individuals responsible for creating, producing and placing it and the music of artists, both mainstream and independent, from around the globe. Some of their nominees have been composers of famous soundtracks such as John Williams (Lincoln), Howard Shore (The Hobbit), Hans Zimmer (Inception), Marco Beltrami (Trouble with the curve-golpe de efecto) or Mychael Danna (Live of Pi-La vida de Pi), as well as other artists internacionally known as Bob Dylan, with the intention of recognize his dedication to the music industry.

Nominees and winners of the HMMA awards are not selected according to their labels, sales or popularity, but only for their musical excellence. HMMA are a springboard to access the American audiovisual industry, since their most influential executives participate in it.

1 June 2014

Review

Timeless is the follow-up to J. M. Quintana Camara’s 2012 release, Feelinks, which was nominated for Best Solo Piano Album of the Year by SoloPiano.com in the category of “Classical/Modern Classical.” Quintana Camara is a very versatile composer who also writes music for soundtracks, documentaries, and television commercials. Born in Spain in 1984 and conservatory-trained from the age of nine, Quintana Camara started composing music at the age of twelve. With advanced degrees in music (piano) and computer science, Quintana Camara also teaches piano and music theory. His music is melodic, passionate, elegant, and sometimes quite energetic, reflecting life experiences in a very personal way. Classical influences with contemporary sensibilities gives the music a genre-crossing appeal that makes it difficult to classify (I really like that!). Timeless is mostly solo piano, but there are other instruments included in some of the compositions. Two of the thirteen pieces are presented in two different versions. Hopefully this excellent and very colorful music will bring Quintana Camara the more international following that he deserves.

Timeless begins with “The Challenge.” Starting with a slow, mysterious piano introduction, strongly rhythmic percussion and orchestration enter and send the piece soaring. Passionate and very dramatic, we can immediately hear why Quintana Camara is working in film soundtracks. “Fighting Against the Unknown” is fully orchestrated behind the piano. With a melancholy tone, the piece is sometimes light and determined, and other times burdened and a bit lost - beautiful and very expressive. “Sleep Paralysis” feels very much like a night of tossing and turning - agitated and frustrated, on the verge of falling asleep, but not quite there. It is fascinating how Quintana Camara expresses the quiet stillness as well as the turbulence of a restless night. A great piece! “Wonders of Earth” is an enchanting piece that seems to soar above the earth, awed by the beauty and drama below. “Stop Hunger!” comes from the soundtrack to the documentary The Third Rider, about hunger and malnutrition on our planet. Very dark and powerful, I love this one! The vibrant rhythms give the piece a sense of urgency while the slower sections reinforce the peril of the world and its inhabitants. A wonderful solo piano version of “Stop Hunger!” comes later in the album. “Welcome Back” is a warm and tender piano solo that overflows with love - another favorite. “Frenetic World” again picks up the pace with a spinning and twirling piano spurred on by agitated strings. “The Magic of Christmas” is a sweet piano solo composed in a very classical style, viewing Christmas through the eyes of a child. “Successful Challenge” is a second version of the opening “The Challenge” that brings this album to an upbeat and triumphant close.

J. M. Quintana Camara is on his way to becoming a major player in the contemporary classical music scene. Timeless is available from Amazon, iTunes, and CD Baby. Highly recommended!

"I used the music composed and performed by J. M. Quintana Cámara 'From the top of the cliff' in a video-clip on my TV channel (Kruibeke TV). As you can see and hear the music blends very well with the tenderness and the mood of the clip" ~Johan Arnout, Kruibeke TV, Belgium